The kitchen is the heart of the home, as they say, and here at Tapi we know better than anyone how your choice of kitchen flooring can make or break the room. Whether it’s rustic wood laminate, stylish stone-effect vinyl, or something in between, there’s a huge range of kitchen flooring types to choose from. There are also various things to consider with modern kitchen flooring that you don’t have to for other rooms. We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, so in this guide, we go through everything you need to know about kitchen flooring and how to make the right choice for you.
The main thing you need to think about with your kitchen floor, other than the style (which we’ll get to later), is how hard-wearing and how easy to maintain it is. As arguably the busiest room in the house, and certainly the one that takes the most punishment, it’s an important consideration.
Your kitchen floor will have to deal with muddy footprints, paw prints, accidents, spills, lots of footfall and changes in temperature. It’s for that reason that many people choose stone tiles, water-resistant laminate, vinyl or LVT. Not only can they withstand everything a modern family can throw at them without losing their appearance, but they are also very easy to clean when accidents do happen.
For obvious reasons, carpet is generally not considered a good idea for your kitchen. Even if you opt for a dark carpet, it’s going to soak up spills and moisture and will require a lot of regular cleaning. Real, hardwood floors are not considered a good option either. They’re very expensive and tend to soak up moisture and react badly to changes in temperature...You don’t want to spend all that money just for your brand new wooden floor to start warping!
So now we’ve covered that, let’s look at some of the best options for kitchen flooring.
If you want the look and feel of real wood flooring but with none of the hassle, the best place to start looking is our waterproof laminate flooring for kitchens. We’ve taken the time to create water-resistant kitchen laminate flooring that can withstand hours of moisture without bowing or bending. Another key advantage of fitting laminate in your kitchen is the fact that it’s very easy to fit around current fixtures and fittings, so you can refresh your kitchen floor without having to replace all the units.
Of course, we know that appearance is vital for such an important part of your home, and the sheer number of different styles, finishes, textures, colours and patterns available with laminate makes it a winner. If you want to create a modern, minimalist or Scandinavian-look kitchen then opt for flooring in a light tone such as grey oak, and combine it with white walls and fittings for a light and airy feel. If you’d prefer a traditionally grand and luxurious feel to your kitchen, then go for a darker wood or stone tile-effect finish in something like granite, slate or black marble. The industrial style is currently very popular, and a rustic, distressed and textured wood finish on your kitchen laminate would be an excellent choice to achieve this look. We’ve also noticed that parquet or herringbone kitchen flooring is proving very popular with our customers!
From dark woods like chestnut or walnut to lighter tones such as ash maple or oak, laminate flooring is incredibly flexible. What’s more, it works fantastically well with underfloor heating.
Choose kitchen laminate flooring if:
Alongside laminate, vinyl flooring for kitchens is a very popular choice with our customers. Gone are the days of dull and uninspiring lino, modern kitchen vinyl flooring is infinitely better in every way. 21st century production techniques have created a kitchen floor that is not only very durable and waterproof but feels great and looks incredibly realistic. With a range of finishes including wood effect, stone tile effect, patterns and more, it’s alongside laminate as one of the best flooring options for your kitchen.
Like laminate, kitchen vinyl is incredibly easy to lay and maintain. As it’s sold by the roll, there are no joins and it’s completely waterproof, perfect for those muddy footprints, spills and accidents that are inevitable. The super-realistic appearance of kitchen vinyl comes from the multiple layers, which are printed with a graphical layer and then sealed. It’s also possible to achieve a range of feels and textures such as wood and tile… you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference from the real thing! What’s more, most kitchen vinyl flooring should last you at least 15-20 years, and in many cases longer.
Where vinyl flooring in your kitchen really comes into its own is with stone and tile-effect finishes. The way it’s made allows for incredibly intricate patterns with a huge range of colours and designs. If you want that classic black and white tile look, without the associated cost of real stone tiles, then vinyl is a great choice. Perhaps you’re creating a rustic, country kitchen look? Or maybe you’d prefer a Mediterranean style with sandstone tiles or mosaic designs? Vinyl flooring is one of the most flexible kitchen flooring options you can buy,
Choose vinyl flooring for your kitchen if:
Stone floor tiles are often considered the highest quality and luxurious kitchen flooring types. It’s hard to argue with the fact that it looks great, feels great, is very durable, and brings a real touch of style and class to your kitchen. However, there’s an elephant in the room… stone tile floors are incredibly expensive to both buy and install, they’re hard and cold under foot, and they’re also a very long term choice… if you change your mind further down the line, it’s a big expense that’s wasted.
We don’t sell real stone kitchen floor tiles here at Tapi, but our laminate, vinyl and LVT, in particular, are fantastic, cost-effective alternatives that deliver the same look. Whether it’s black kitchen floor tiles, white kitchen floor tiles, grey tiles, slate, ceramic, marble or porcelain tiles, you’re looking for, our range of stone-effect LVT is a fantastic alternative without the outlay.
Still unsure which flooring is best for your kitchen? Check out all or flooring below. Of course, if you still can’t decide, don’t hesitate to contact us online or visit us in store!
Carpet |
Laminate |
Vinyl |
LVT |
Engineered Wood |
|
Warm |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✗ |
Quiet |
✓ |
✗ |
✓ |
✗ |
✗ |
Durable |
✗ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
Low-cost |
✗ |
✗ |
✓ |
✗ |
✗ |
Comfortable |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✗ |
Waterproof / resistant |
✗ |
✗ |
✓ |
✓ |
✗ |
Easy-to-clean |
✗ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |